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Check out the Sammamish Patch on Opening Day, May 18, 2011
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| Seattle Magazine August 2010 |
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Seattle Magazine - August 2010
Meet The Producer: Hermosa Mexican Foods
That's a wrap: Hermosa Mexican Foods brings Mexico to the Eastside with its authentic tamales
Hermosa Mexican Foods
About seven years ago, Southern California natives Karyn and Ernest Moreno sated their hankering for authentic Mexican fare by forming Hermosa Mexican Foods (425.208.2933; hermosamexicanfoods.com). After perfecting recipes from Ernest's mother, a native of Hermosillo, Mexico, in a small commercial kitchen in the Snoqualmie Valley, they launched their tamale and tomatillo salsa creations at the Issaquah Farmers' Market in 2003. Before long, the couple was going to seven markets a week, selling 300 to 500 tamales a day. "Many tamales are typically 4 to 6 ounces," Karyn says. "I make mine 7 to 8 ounces." The Morenos eventually cut back their appearances to just the Bellevue and Redmond farmers' markets, where Karyn purchases most of her ingredients. "I make sure to keep it fair and support everyone," she says. Popular items include the asparagus tamale (asparagus, smoked Gouda and leeks sauteed in olive oil) and the chicken tomatillo (cooked in Hermosa's tomatillo sauce), as well as fresh fruit tamales. "People in the Pacific Northwest are not used to sweet tamales," says Karyn, who uses whatever's in season for her fillings. Hermosa's tamales are sold fresh ($4-$6 each), with an array of filling options, and frozen ($10-$13 per three-pack). The filling is pre-cooked before being frozen, but the masa is not, leaving the steaming process to the customer. Visit Hermosa Mexican Foods at the Bellevue Farmers' Market (in the lot at First Presbyterian Church, 1717 Bellevue Way NE) on Thursdays from 3 to 7 p.m. and the Redmond Farmers' Market (7730 Leary Way NE) on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Sammamish, WA Farmers Market Newsletter - August 2009
Meet the Vendor - Hermosa Mexican Foods
Karyn and Ernest Moreno started Hermosa Mexican Foods, http://hermosamexicanfoods.com/home.html
, six years ago when they decided to test market their tamales and
salsa verde at farmers markets. As Karyn explains, "We wanted to
introduce the Pacific Northwest to the comfort foods we grew up with.
Since tamales were very hard to find up here, they became the logical
choice for us." "Hermosa" means beautiful, emblematic of the beautiful
food they now create for us in the Northwest.
Generations-old and new recipes
They
began with a red chile pork tamale made from a generations-old recipe
from Ernest's maternal side of the family. The chicken tomatillo tamale
was the next offering followed by the vegetarian tamale, a recipe Karyn
says she "worked on for months to perfect on behalf of her mother and
grandmother who are vegetarians."
Hand-rolled tamales without lard
The
Moreno's make their own masa without lard. They hand roll each tamale
and top them with lettuce, tomato, diced onion, cilantro, Cotija cheese,
sour cream and Hermosa Salsa Verde.
Special of the week - seasonal and sweet tamales made from farmers market produce
Each
week, they also create seasonal and sweet gourmet tamales from farmers
market ingredients. Hermosa offers a "Tamale of the Day" because so "many Pacific Northwesterners are not familiar with sweet or fruit
tamales, so we are proud to be able to offer these at the markets for
customers to try." The special tamale for this Market day is peach.
Here are just some of the special tamales Hermosa has created this Market season:
Asparagus, leek and smoked gouda cheese Chorizo, a Mexican sausage, with sauteed red, yellow and orange bell peppers and onions, topped with a spicy peach salsa Strawberry topped with strawberry syrup and whipped cream Banana chocolate chip topped with a Mexican chocolate syrup Blueberry topped with home made creme fraiche and fresh blueberries Ratatouille tamale using eggplant, zucchini, squash, bell peppers, onions, garlic, and basil grown by local farmers
Why Hermosa comes to farmers markets
This
is what Karyn has to say about farmers markets, "We love working at the
farmer's markets because we love supporting our community,
farmers, and fellow vendors and meeting new people, as well as chatting
with our ever-so-faithful returning customers. Everyone we meet is so
friendly and outgoing that it makes working fun."
Hermosa has
developed a highly loyal following here in Sammamish. When they couldn't
be at our Market until the end of June, we had many disappointed diners
coming to the Market info booth to ask, "Where's Hermosa?" They knew
they had found something special. Now that Hermosa is back, the lines
continue to form.
Ordering by the dozen or picking up frozen tamales for dinner at home
Customers
can call Hermosa to place orders by the dozen. The dozen can be a mixed
variety and comes with a 12 oz. container of Hermosa Salsa Verde. The
specialty gourmet tamales can be ordered by the dozen as well. Customers
can pick up their orders at the Market or stop by the Hermosa
commercial kitchen in Snoqualmie. Hermosa always has frozen 3-packs for
purchase at the Market.
You can also find Hermosa on Facebook,
http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/pages/Hermosa-Mexican-Foods/54592840676?ref=search
To view the complete newsletter, click on the link below
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs011/1102039263175/archive/1102658161417.html
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Customer Comments
Dec 2, 2009
My name is Beverly L. I met you at the Monterey
farmers market. I wanted to tell you again that I really enjoyed the pork
tamales I had and can't wait to try the chicken and vegetarian ones. You gave me
the blueberry and they were very tasty. I am not use to a dessert tamale but
with the ice cream it was good. You do the Monterey farmers market on Tuesday
and Marina on Sunday. Any other ones?? How about the Thursday MPC farmers
market. Or do they still have that one?? I am coming up during Xmas again but
not on the days your farmers markets are going on. Maybe I will be able to plan
a trip in January to coincide with farmers markets. Thank you again. Your
tamales are really good. I am hoping to get my
sister or daughter in law to stop by and buy me tamales and just freeze em for
me. Thanks again Beverly. November 1, 2009
Hermosa Mexican Foods,
What can I say, except that we are in love!!! I had never been to a
farmers market before but I finally went on 10/24 in Redmond, WA. We have only
lived in the state for 10 months and we haven't found a good Mexican
restaurant. My husband is picky and vegetarian. I was alone and was getting
some good stuff and I came upon your booth. I had one of your tamales and well,
I was in love!! I had to bring home a vegetarian one for my husband. Well, my
husband about died!! He was in love!!! This was the first tamale this wasn't
filled with pure cheese!! You guys are BRILLIANT!!! If only I had found you
sooner!! No problems, I went yesterday 10/31 and bought him to keep in the
freezer and some chicken and pork for me. Come May we will be first in line!
How could I not write you to tell you how wonderful you are?!?
Thank you,
Monika D.
September 27, 2009
Hi - I'm the woman who was with the man who bought your last 4 pork tamales and
you gave us a blueberry tamale to enjoy and asked that we get back to you as to
our impressions of the sweet tamale. It was delicious! Very flavorful -
wonderful blueberry taste. Your tamales are just wonderful. Thanks for the
treat! Maybe we will see you in October when we are visiting the Farmer's
Market again.
Sincerely,
Marion S.
August 9, 2009
Muy, muy, MUY delicioso tamales! We discovered their booth at the
Marina's Farmer's Market last week. We drove over again this week for
more. (We live in Hollister, over 30 miles away!). Their masa is the
lightest I've ever tasted. No heavy feeling afterwards. The fillingness
we got from eating them was all the meat that's inside them. I've
tried the pork and the chicken. I like the pork the best. It almost has
a roasted taste to 'em. They also sell vegetarian tamales, but they
were out both weeks.
Susan M.
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